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WATCH TOWER
Clauses and Auxiliary to Date
140,367 Books
148,745 Booklets
CREANO
Colporteurs to Date
272,939 Books
184.118 Booklets
Sell 104,215 Books in Spite of Big Odds | in u whirlwind fashion, the reg- > ular and auxiliary colporteurs swept forward in the field and wound up the old year 1928 by placing during December a total of 194,215 clothbound books tn the hands of tbe people. In spite of the wide-spread "flu” epidemic. Nimrod's holiday, bud weather and everything else to make this month one of tlie worst for the work, Die regulars sold 91,492 books, 64.439 booklets and 24,551 People# Friend, and tlie nux-iiiaries, 12,723 books, 9,699 booklets and 7,748 People# Friend. This makes a grand total of 210,(to‘2 pieces of literature for the month. How’s that for seeing the old year out? When you compare the 104,215 books with the 22.264 books placed during December of last year, you have something to think about.
Now for a lit Ue more Interesting dope. Comparing ihe first three months of the 1928-1929 fiscal period with thut of 1927-1028, we find that, the regulars have placed practically 43.1. permit more cloth-bound books i-< this year. The activity among the auxiliaries represents an increase of 330 percent. And we thought that last year was a wonderful one I Here's a reel starter for a "humdinger”.
But in spite of this big increase, there’s still a lot more to be done. The regulars are J 1,061 behind In their book quoin, and the auxiliaries 11,211, for the tlm three months. SilckneHM has kept a lot. out of the work; many have failed to report nt all; and the stile of booklets has fallen 'way behind for this period. If with the opening of spring there is a corresponding increase in the enrollment, we hope that these shortages will be* more than made *80 kwp up the good work, col- ’ porteurs, and by the Lord a grace, that 1.4511,000 Ix’Ok quota ami I
Friend campaign, January 20, the bound-book drive should immediately follow, going over the territory just canvassed with The People#' Friend and taking advantage of the: interest thus created. Adapt your
combination to what the territory will be able to handle. Discuss this; matter carefully at your service I
Working Class Workers More Efficient
We Are Wondering What Happened to the 161 Classes and 1393 Workers That Did Not Report ..
We have just completed an anal-; onlJ' 1L‘ss than December, ysis of the figures covering the I , aDt^ le sales oi the bound
December class sales. These figures reflect some of the retarding Influences which the workers encountered
books per worker
week this year as against
3.69 per
!.7 Inst
during the tributed to I.t will be number of
month and which eon-Hie slump manifested, noted that tile average weekly workers in the
field dropped fifty percent from the
November figures, or from an aver-meetings, and if It is found that । of 4^44 workers each week to the $1.98 combination is iwyond the'2 451. The number of classes remeans of the people in any partic-: porting dropped from 754 to 593, or ular section that you are going to - - ■ ■ - - ■
canvass, offer them a smaller com-: bination. All corn blua Hons, how-; ever, should include at least two1
hound books us well
as some ten-
cent booklets, and Tfte People#!
Friend if it has not already been '
161 classes that reported during November failed to report during Ilie last week of December. The third outstanding factor that these figures manifest is the time spent in Ihe service by the workers who were our In the field. During the month
placed. We have a recommendation of November each worker had an
of a combination which has proved average of -1.44 hours a week. The very Huccessful in certain sections December figures are 3.45, or a of tbe rural territory. It is the; ,Jrop of a mtle less than one hour ¥2.98 combination comiiosed of the week per worker in the time spent five new books, any one volume of । in (be service
the Stndio# fit t*r -;nd| oiujplj ^amdm Ihe-e facts
six ten-cent booklets. A _ brother , wj,bout making duo allowance for writes ns as follows concerning thia. ■ TOUf-riblltliig causes would be un-“In sixty-six culls I was able to bl and’unjust to the work
place eleven of these combinations,11 - - ■ J -
or a total of 132 books and booklets, tie well as 79 additional pieces of literature. Another brother sold sixteen of these ¥2.98 combinations In the same number of calls. We regard this plan of working country territory us the very best of which we know.”
This combination might be tried out when working rural territory in the .South and on the west coast mid In any other accessible rural territory that can be worked nt this time.
for booklets can still be. ,, , ..
made. Already you have made J8-S | futl Hutlctin compiled from the e {mrceiit
of your
last year
bad sold only 10 percent.
i! in books, this time you
But Jr.
booklets you have disposed of only 11 percent. To remedy this, try to leave something In every home even though it be but a 10v ami a 5c booklet. By dropping to this 15c booklet (tojnbinatJon as your tlmii offer, there will be :i big jump in the tiumber of booklets placed ai d a more thorough witness given m the lioiior of Jehovah’s name.
the
terrltory has tevn canvassed with The Peoples Friend. We have sold many books as n result of the interest. thus created."—Ba bio. Mohs.
“I sold a set. of live today to detective, a Catholic. 1 had sold him a Peoples Friend about a week ago. I asked him if he had read it
perieiiecH of colporteurs unci other
workers which contains a b’t of helpful information for every one who is engaged iu the witnessing and giving the message at the pres ent time. Therefore we recommoml । :t careful study of tlie special Hul-tetiv, by each worker in the field as | well ns by the service committees. ; We believe that the merit of the j suggestions offered there for working various portions of the territory and for canvassing dlifereni classes of jtcople has been confirmed by wide experience in the field and that, a careful application of these suggestions to your territory, as far as possible, will prove helpful.
and how he liked It. lie said that ‘it was good’, then added that, '!> was VEliY liWfl)’. 1 hud three hooks left In my bag and offered him these. Ifo said. ‘1 believe, this* you said there were five. I want them all,’ ”
Cfllpurteur in Springfield, Mass,
I era. In considering these causes we itind the chief one to be the "flu", ; which amounted almost to au epi-1 domic in some parts of the country. In some places schools have been
I closed since January 12. Mauy of i the friends have also suffered from this, being taken out of the service for a considerable period. The reports also indicate that from 33 percent to 75 percent of the homes canvassed were affected by this sickness, which did a great deal to retard the witness. Another obi structiug condition was that it was ' Christmas month; und while undoubtedly much was ticeomplisheil by following up immediately the territory previously canvassed with The People# Friend ami thus taking advantage of the interest created, and also by the attractiveness of tlie five-book combination, yet, despite all this, we have to acknowledge that. December is the worst month of the year. The Devil has made a very thorough jeb of com nie.rcinliz.iiig the non-essential things i<i.id making them attractive to the jioople und blinding the minds of fhe majority to the actual need of tin* essential tilings, so that the normal effectiveness of our message was to a great extent diminished during the month of December.
These were the oaistanding reasons. undoubtedly, for the low sale-during that month. However, -we do not. want to dwell entirely on the unfavorable phase of the month’s work. There were also a number of encouraging features to It. Despite tbe milliy retarding features mentioned above, December, 1928, was the most consistently active December the classes have had. The average number of workers in the field
year. Tn other word^ tlie efficiency of the workers in tlie field increased about 2S percent; so that with 55 fewer workers we were able to place over 2,000 more bound books in the hands of the people during the month than wc placed a year ago. Vite are confident that if the conditions were anything like the average December we would easily show a fifty-percent increase in the bound books sold. Surely this is gratifying.
However, it leaves us quite a way behind our quota ; mid in order to accomplish what we have set out to do and magnify the name of our God as we had hoped to do, each one will have to take another hitch in his helt and buckle down a little harder. These experiences make us appreciate the fact that wc are in a real battle. It is a real warfare. During December the enemy obtained some advnntiii'x’H by udfiing more misery to the human family and retarding the normal effect of our witness and probably by trying to cause some of the Lord’s witnesses to become discouraged because of not reaching the quota they have set for themselves. In this latter mutter, at least, he can not succeed; for an Impartial analysts of the results clenrly demonstrates that in spite of all that he can do we have not lost uny ground over last year. During October and November the advantage was on our side. We more than kept up with our quota, except for a few booklets. We have lost a little in the enemies' counter-attack in December, However, this will easily be made up in January and February, particularly in February, we ore confident.; for tbe epidemic of "flu" Is still pretty severe in certain parts of the country and will in all probability affect our second People# Friend drive. Therefore it is going to require added diligence on the part of all to maintain our present position und press the enemy more effectively, and of the service committee In planning the work and making a careful analysis of the field and ascertaining favorable or unfavorable conditions that exist and then carefully couching the workers so that these can successfully meet every situation. These matters should also Ik> taken up with tbe regional service director when he visits you. His experience with the same conditions in other classes will be a great help. Then the workers should carefully sern-tinlze their individual arrangenieuts with a view to devoting more time ami energy io the service. In this way only can we hope to overcome the temporary advantage of the enemy and attain to our objective In the distribution of the message.
(Contlnneil nn page 2. colnms 1)
Directory and Colporteurs
Question Cards Are Great : Suggestions for Working Asked to Follow Instructions Help in Gaining Audience i ... „ .. . i
in Filling Out
Apartment Houses
Service Conventions
New Report Cards
A supply of a new style of report aril has been sent to all colporteurs and class dlrreiore. together with Instructions for rilling those out
with Busy People
lyirrectly.
Have you tried using the question slips or cards in your canvassing? Many of the colporteurs are finding that there are very' effective In stimulating interest, not only in the homes, but also in the busiae^s dis-
Slum tii« Hfltwrteunj re. n..„ > .. ■ ,v
_______I..... trtcts. Drift brother in i>art.icTnar attributes h great deal of his sue.
eeivcd their supply first, it has been
found Hint some have not rend these instructions but have taken H for granted that they kn.-.-w an Bhoifl the cards. This has eaubed confusion and a lass of time bemuse of vague Information on cards improperly made out. We know that you want to cooperate and to do things right. That's why we sent th® instructions. So won’t you please ttse them? Read them over carefully and report in ita proper place all tlie information requested.
If any colporteurs or directors have not received iin-lr supp-y, order ibem at on re.
Sharpshooter^ Secretaries
and Directors Asked Not to Use Colporteur Supplies Sharpshooters, duns secreiarles
or
direetors uro requested not to use envelopes, order blanks or other supplies which are put out for the exclusive use of those on the active colporteur list. By having such mall ■ronre to the Society add reused to the Colporteur Department, it causes n double handling of the mu!! and much loss of time In looking it up.
Colporteurs, on the other hand, are asked to use these various forms ami always to suMtchb their cor respojidence to the Colporteur Department. If Urey run out of stock of any of these, we 31ia.ll be glad to receive their order ter nwre.
(Continnad from page 1, Mw>n +1
Our booklet campaign does not allow up UH promisingly a® thui of ttre treuiul books. At the. end of November we were 11,500 booklets Short of ijur quota. This ha® now grown to 24,HA'i. Tlure are two coi!-tribullng cuuBesj for this, in addition to th ore iiien tioned above. First, tlio friends are selling the Pcopkw H’ri&iat booklet lustea fl of a ten-cent booklet. During December they reported a hundred thousand Peoples li'ri&ui put out in combination and singly. This naturally ufifecte the sale of the other booklets; hut tins will tidjust Itself its the Peoples Friend stock is exhausted. The other I’eafKMi is that many of the TrSeads canvassing for the bound books do not drop to the three-booklet coni’ binatiou or to a single booklet will) The Peeples, Ffiend for fifteen eeuis. When the prospect refuses to consider tlie bound-book oiler, some stop ennvugsiQg entirely. An efTort should lie inmle to place the Ixatk-le.ts in every boiue where a boundhook sale etui not be made. AVitJj (he advent of the Kf-aiofotion booklet, which m the mo®t attractive tencent booklet offer tJmt the Society has ever ruaite. a hoiiklet coDtbliiu-ttan should prove lo he very acrept-uble to the public and should be offered In every where bound books can not la? phi cwt.
Wt! are submitting herewith lite figures showing rhe percentage uf
snlra and
quota 1o dare.
Hooka
ifookleta
Quota
Side*
14MAW 173,600
140-W 148,745 280,112
Khoi'f.
, If there are any apartment h<- ws : -Arrangi'menbi have made £oi in your territory, now*® the lime u>! sdl orsfnu.ir.od clnsswi in Uu» country work lliem. Since they are wurai' o be visited during 1929 by regional and dry you need not worry about j eentoe directors. “
the weather, oven though II In j till® the Sm-ltoy is arranging f<>r a storhiy <Hit.!nd£, ■ t ti»,®
fSoniy of the friends
Tn addition io
service
[ series of l.wo-rifty
have been i tlonw to Ik? held in
conven■
chiSMes that are
timid about going into such places;, hut in whj ir,shiners all you have!
centrally ’cental and arawfbto to A number of other elassra in their vicinity. 'iTiese conventions are
and I
person or business rnan, us with other people, 1 hav
canvassing a mining town. He to gain the attention of a bookkeeper. ‘Not interested—
working nt the- various
■our way to the bottom
cess to them, eayitig, "I have been doing h little experimenting with some question cards. I wish to stat here that those cards are the great est thing (n gain atidleuee with
to da Is ring a bell, walk or take | the elevator tu the top floor mid, f
, . generally nrrango-1 for the last tw»
doors, work j flays of the regional mq-vire diree-
One broth- lot’s visit to them* centrally Iwuted
busy well ever were tried busy
seen. Brother O
too Ijuuj’—-too many books anyway.’ Brother C— lefi Wr>) a question card, telling him to be sure to read IL I came in later in the day and he come up to me In tlie store, and as soon a» he learned I was sell! ng the books, lie said, ’If those books answer the question® wj that card, they are mine.' And they were, as soon im I got the nuurey into my pocket,”
He shows also to what an advantage these can be usctl In stores Where one finds it necessary to talk: to several at the same time, saying, “A. few days ago I was canvassing a young man in a pool room. The boss came in and I gnve him a question rai'd to keep h’m interested while I finished with his clerk. When I tolu the clerk the price, the bow stepped np mid said, ‘What? You mean ;iH those books for that price?’ I unewereil in the affirmative. ‘Well, can all the answers be
found in those books?’
•‘i said, ‘Yes, ami several timu Banti other questions ami answers.’
r bu found that when there arc I classed. The purpote of the Mireite* everal thmrs opening on the. same \ couwitipmi I® that the friends might arridoi' it pays hiin not to make ! tisaemble for txtopenillou in the wer-iti the call® on the floor in sueees-' vice work. The forenoon and part ion. He makes bis first call on the j of Ilie afternoon wh! be de voted to top floor and bls second on the 0oor ‘ sc-rv1<?e, and the late afternoon and below. Then for his third he re-(evening to service tCBtimrmy- inertturns to the top floor; jmd he re-; ings and talk®. As fur flu possible peats tills process until the bullrllngl arratigeinmts rsrt» hclug mufle to has been completed. HIs reason Tor j have two of the regional service this Is 1 bat it ficverul bells are rung dirwtore serve at each convention, in close snceBBBlon on the same floor Tn reporting the activities at these the oceupaute of thfs mtar apart-1 conventions each class ttoit. Attends merits also hour them, as well as < should be witter the trnpervigloii of
his voice in the hull. Tills leads them to mretuirc him for an agent; so that when he rings their bill Im. mediately' thereafter, they fall to respond.
In the more fnshlouabie apartments which hare strict reguhittenti n gal a.-, t any citireagslng, some have suggested that a letter be sent in advance .making an appointment
the director er some brother appointed by isim. The visiting friend® should take their own books and repi’rt ibo hlIbs made a® of tlertr own class, not the elass at which Hie convention is being bald. Jn this way each class is disposing of its own consignment of iitornlrre and is getting credit tor Ute sales _ __ mafia. However, before leaving the
with the iH-'opJc to will on tliesri at J convento.m each Hass representative a certain date. If stopped to their ; who te to charge of the service work work, they can then tell the siijjerto- should report to the local director
teitdent that they are calling on
should report to the local director
Mr. (or Mrs.)
by epechi!
appointment. When they ring the belt (hey are icudUy identified ■because of the advance notice, Oue colporteur has been using this :uelh-
od with good results in gaining on ■ "entrance into a very good class trf
al! the stiles made hi the Latter’s territory and the towns in which 111'.-.v were made, eo that he cun include tills Information in hla yearly report on fill the snips of literature made by the workers of his own clasa
“‘They are my books.’ ' Tlt6S D?: .k.
“I asked him what aroused htej I find the best Um ft io sec the interest so much In lirem, and ire: people is hi the evouiug. I go to th? told me It. was tliosi? questions J lobby nro.1 copy the names from the which had been a great puzzle to 'l"*il lioxea anfi U*en scud thecn the him, and ire added, ‘i'ou could cover > letter about rwo days before I call, liavo sold are tliose books if it ( (A. city dlriwtory Dilght s<so ba
Ooe day the Messenger of Deliver ance came, oud lol the doors vrtsrtt locked h> he could not enter. However, he had his trusty bow an<l arrows with him, and right through walls and doors he shot ftve arrows, each with a mowiagv of peace, as follows:
if j|j (A city dlnx’tory might steo ba ‘ used.) 1 tell them the date I will ’rail, bo that they may expert ine. I DEDTVDIIANCE; The King re-■ Sometimes I call two or three times turns to his tlonutln. expels the , before I get in; but as soon as the j Wk-kecl prince ua<1 ertabllitlm « , door is opened for me, I go in. ’ ,lf!VV
TAe■ starting on the top floor and work. : v,T1?.-x-.r. „u ...
Twcer Jims on Uto Iwck page • Ing down. After getting in I just • ' '■x_bja. ’ hLJJT^Ta
a list of the radio filaUo.is broad- rap on tha doors and ask them if; Mh
carting ita? truth. This i« pHrtfcu- they received my letter." i happiness, rebukes tuid derttoya evil
larly fur the information of the, The advance canvass whicti this! ■3rln=s awm
- - - ■ . -■ ; reconciliation of toe people
I w himself that Ire might bestow • great blessings on the obedient onto.
for that card? "
Tho
Wntoh
Radio Stations
15 Lh of each mini th
workers, «» that when calling oai colporteur uses la neatly type-writ the people they cars moiition the Sten n nd rends as follows:
radio station broftdowtimt Um mes-1 .
sage In thfdr vicinity. The service 1 All Ye Cliff-Dwellers—
director should qa.ll io the at-' A then firm'
tentton of tbe wurtwre and urge anenuun.
tln.-m to niHl<e nietHtou m rue radto Once a time there dwelt in
station nt each tonne visited. ‘the land of Detroit a peoplq who We are now able to furnish a ‘ wre cHff-dvreiters. The huai was
I Then rhe whole
j (IRHATJON bii's-si am* honor the ; King. Laughter, joy and peaw now - are tire rule, and all the King’s sub: |e<w give honor to his name. Music is1 heard tn the land. Anthem® of
nicely printed slip urireNising the ; ruled over by a. wicked prince, a ; praise ure swig and sweet are the radio stations which comprise the : hard task-master, who Inflicted ou • --"i-s from
WATCHTOWHR CHAIN and also the people pain, suffering, sorrow. the five books. A picture of Cre«- - - - -
THE HAI.:?’ Off GOD. Many
_ _ . und i-.'ure. Only oceastoimfiy did h songs, from (’reatton and pro-
tion in light blue odds to the al- rai of suttsliitm peep through the: airessive step of the King’s plan to traetiveuess nf tbo leaflet. These •lisw al -wnlltt of the diffs, on fl flow-I the Restoration, spoken by nil the can be supplied to classes or taifl-ktni and trees were unseen except > prophets of the earth, pre heard, vidual workers at $1.50 jser thm: |is tj>« dwellors went forth to their • praising the King.
flaiid. {No nddltfoual printing ciu, । daily tasks »t»il passed lliem by the i 1 hope this arrow may open the be done on these slips.) wayalde. ■ door. I will call and deliver this
,1""'''u''1'1'11'1 rmr,: Z7* --- - z mcsguigg on
_ . Directors for 1929 j --------
tractiveuess nf tire leaflet.
We were eipioflvortog to have all Tinted sections of the country it Is | ttepreremtasr vvsMrttiwer iTwams service wnimutere: completed b.v difficult to get together at this | ‘ '....... ‘
however, we . season of the year. ”---------- '
JaisoHry 1. In thi.-
However. we
Annihcr eoljrertenr is mulling a
Importaiit ’(itortlrm rani, enclosing with It h . ------------1 ealliugr-curd Riuwmncing
were ImndicnpixMl by the failure of: believe that It is very ........
a number of class?® to w??ifl In their that each service oryunl'^Mion should i>orsoiml
IfKtf reconnueiMlaiiotm for director, be completed ae soon ».« possible rtw day on which the call will be It. wtts ncceflai;r.v to rend a recoil i and therefore »Sk. th<>-g , ju .> s [ -oade.
request io tipprvjiiuateiy 300 classes .that have noi yet sent in their ree-l ttu-v hns mjy other sug-;md of these there are 160 yet to . ommendatlons for 1020 to try to! 'restiotts to make along Ibis line he heard from. We realize that in'arrange tor n meeting and imbniit iihnt are proving effective, please .....> ! nirtii them to iin In care of "The
2t>4Jifi[ lnn,,y 't|! Hie smaller elasteB in iso. ; ibeae nanwt-t »k wm»ii uk jaixsINe.
J Hulhdin”.
